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Drugs affect your body's central nervous system. They affect how you think, feel and
behave.
The three main types are depressants, hallucinogens and stimulants:
Depressants slow or 'depress' the function of the central nervous system. They
slow the messages going to and from your brain. In small quantities depressants can
cause a person to feel relaxed and less inhibited. In large amounts they may cause
vomiting, unconsciousness and death. Depressants affect your concentration and
coordination, and slow your ability to respond to situations. It is important to not operate
heavy machinery while taking depressants. Alcohol, cannabis, GHB, opiates (heroin,
morphine, codeine) and benzodiazepines (minor tranquillisers) are examples of
depressants.
Hallucinogens distort your sense of reality. You may see or hear things that are
not really there, or see things in a distorted way. Other effects can include emotional
and psychological euphoria, jaw clenching, panic, paranoia, gastric upset and nausea.
Ketamine, LSD, PCP, 'magic mushrooms' and cannabis are examples of hallucinogens.
Stimulants speed or 'stimulate' the central nervous system. They speed up
messaging to and from the brain, making you feel more alert and confident. This can
cause increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, reduced appetite,
agitation and sleeplessness. In large amounts stimulants may cause anxiety, panic,
seizures, stomach cramps and paranoia. Caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines (speed and
Ice), cocaine and ecstasy (MDMA) are examples of stimulants.
Drug use can lead to risky or out of character behaviour. When affected by drugs:
You are more likely to have an accident (at home, in a car, or wherever you are).
You may be vulnerable to sexual assault or you may engage in unprotected sex.
Either of these could lead to pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection.
You could commit a sexual assault or other violent act.
You may find it hard to sleep, think, reason, remember and solve problems.
Drug use can also result in long-term health outcomes that include:
harm to organs and systems in your body, such as your throat, stomach, lungs,
liver, pancreas, heart, brain, nervous system
cancer (such as lung cancer from inhaling drugs)
infectious disease, from shared injecting equipment and increased incidence of
risk-taking behaviors
harm to your baby, if you are pregnant
acne, or skin lesions if the drug you are taking causes you to pick or scratch at
your skin
needle marks and collapsed veins, if you inject regularly
baldness
male pattern hair growth in women, such as facial hair
jaw and teeth issues due to clenching and grinding your teeth; or bad breath,
teeth cavities and gum disease
mood swings and erratic behavior
addiction
psychosis (losing touch with reality)
accidental overdose
higher risk of mental illness, depression, suicide and death.
can induce feelings of happiness, euphoria and confidence, but can also cause
anxiety and paranoia
causes vomiting, sweating and headaches in some users
can overstimulate your heart and nervous system
can cause periods of insomnia
can lead to fits and agitated and hallucinatory states
if used in large amounts, can cause tingling of the hands and feet, seizure and
respiratory failure
has been linked to a number of deaths
if injected, can cause vein collapse and increases the risk of HIV and hepatitis
infection.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation has a list of drugs and their effects.
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Common after effects are flatness, depression and exhaustion. Or you may feel:
shaky, dizzy, sweaty
headachey
nauseous
fatigued
not hungry
sleepy or unable to sleep.